A Place in This World AU
by southernefx
Summary: A cruel father, a broken girl, and a mutant thief. Another Rogue/Gambit Alternate Universe fanfiction. *Completed* PLEASE REVIEW!
1. A Place in this World Part 1

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD **

**Disclaimer:**   
The characters below are a mix of spin-offs and existing X-men symbols, all property of Marvel. I'm not profiting financially from writing fan-fiction, so don't even think of suing me.  
  
Vicki Lew | August 1997

**Part One**

Her lungs ached at the sudden spasm, drawing air in large quantities; her body shivered violently as it kicked back to life. The black spots dancing before her eyes slowly disappeared, but her head was spinning inanely. Gasping, the woman rolled over and pressed her cheek to the leaf-covered ground, trying to hold the nausea down. The wave passed and she lay there for a while, attempting to gain some orientation.

Tall evergreens loomed over her, an occasional leaf dropping from above, shaken off its branch by the chilly winds that were blowing. Her surroundings would've been pitch dark if not for the bright moon that night. Stark naked, drained and starving, the young woman curled stiffly into a ball, trembling in the cold. Her muscles cramped painfully each time she tried to move, her eyes refusing to stop rolling in their sockets. She still took gulps of air irregularly, nearly hyperventilating herself back into unconsciousness.

It took what seemed like ages for her body system to ease back into its normal state. When it finally did, she found it possible to survey her surroundings. It looked like a fairly dense forest, but then again it could just be a small acre of woods. She forced herself to stand up, joints popping and pain shooting through her limbs; she hissed at the discomfort. Hunger was gnawing at her stomach, and the temperature of the night was dropping rapidly. Sooner or later she had to find some form of shelter, and if she was lucky, some civilization.

She stumbled her way forward, falling hard on the ground and leaning against the trees occasionally for support. Each step she took winded her out; her back could hardly straighten, forcing her to crouch as she made her way to the fringe of the foliage. When she finally got there, her body was covered with scratches and bruises and her lips were almost blue from the cold. But her efforts paid off; she managed a little smile as she spotted lights in the distance. Many lights, in fact. Perhaps it was a mansion or a building of sorts. She didn't really care. All that was driving her on now was the longing for some warmth and something to stop the gastritis that was biting away at her stomach walls.

* * *

"Gumbo again?" The white-haired African complained not too subtly. "We had that just two nights ago, Remy,"

"Alors, wit' what I could find in de fridge? Ya lucky I could whip somethin' near to edible, 'Ro!" the handsome, rangy young man retorted as he set the pot down on the kitchenette counter. "Ya'd t'ink de X-men be more prepared in groceries."

The woman laughed softly and grabbed a spoon, still hungry no-what.

"So where de others gone, Storm?"

"On a scouting mission. Nothing important, really. Charles has gone to Muir Island, Beast is, as usual, shutting himself in the lab. That leaves just you and I, my friend. Scott wanted you on the scouting mission too, but you sneaked out on your Harley before he could get you," Storm laughed again. She had to wonder if it was an allergic reaction to consuming gumbo so late at night. "You must stop your antics, Remy. It's really driving Scott quite mad!"

The Cajun made a rude sound and said, "Not in dis lifetime!" He spooned up a mouthful of gumbo and tucked in. "'Sides, ya'll need me here if there be a stranger in de house, non?"

He gave the exasperated woman a cheeky grin, but it disappeared immediately when he heard the loud crackle of an electrical surge before the entire mansion plunged into darkness.

"Mon dieu, it must be Beté! Him an' his experiments..." Remy muttered as his eyesight adapted to the dark; he went to the cabinet to get some candles. "Plus Cyke's been foolin' around wit' de backup generators; who knows when we gonna get power back!"

"Shall we attempt to repair the damage?" His companion asked.

He lit the candle and illuminated the room before replying, "Oui, I guess. Let's go."

* * *

The exhausted girl crouched behind the wall near the front gates, peering through the grills above and wondering if she should just barge into the mansion to grab some food and warmth. She blinked in surprise when the lights went out suddenly. There was a sudden crackle of electrical charge along the metal gates that spooked her, but somehow she knew that it was now safe to attempt to enter the estate.

Her heart pounded as she squeezed through the railings of the front gates and ran as fast as her aching body allowed. In her haste, she tripped over her own feet and slammed hard into the pavement. She was quite dazed but winced when she experienced a sharp pain in her right arm, followed by a sickening crack of bone. Dread gripped her when she recognized the fact that she had fractured her arm.

Swallowing hard, she gingerly bent her arm towards her chest and held it there. Her vision blurred with tears as the pain jolted in sharp stabs through her arm, not just from the fracture, but from the severe scrapes as well. The icy draught burned her bare skin for the umpteenth time, and it reminded her of how close she was to fulfilling her basic needs right now.

With renewed urgency, she limped towards the house and hid in the shadows, gathering enough nerve to actually break into the premises. Shakily, she opened the front door and then froze, squeezing her eyes shut, half-expecting someone to discover her or to attack her. No such thing happened, so she made her way inside. Her body shuddered violently again, this time at the exquisite warmth that enveloped her cold body; she let out a blissful sigh.

She looked warily at her surroundings as she wandered up the stairs and turned unknowingly into the men's dormitory wing. Picking on the first door she came to, the young woman tried to open it, but it was locked. Right now she relied on this strange and amusing ability that she had; she concentrated and focused all her strength into her left fist. Just as always, the trick worked, and she mangled the locking mechanism when she twisted the doorknob.

Her feet hardly made a sound on the black-tiled floor as she sneaked in, hoping to find some food or something that might help her along the way. She squinted in the dim light, and as far as she could see, this place was spick and span but it had a very traditional feel to it. It was charming, that was for sure. After sticking her nose around, she managed to discover a drawer full of clothes. Feeling about, she found a pair of worn jeans and a navy blue pullover; she smiled a little lopsidedly. They both smelled awfully nice. Of what, she didn't know, but the scent was woodsy and addictive; she liked it.

Taking the opportunity while she was out of danger, she stretched her aching body as best as she could before slipping the clothes on. They were too large for her - the jeans covered her feet and dragged on the floor, the sweater reached up to her knees and the sleeves were much too long. She couldn't care less. Her broken arm could hardly move without hurting, so she just tucked it under the sweater instead of putting it through the sleeve.

Ransacking through the other drawers, the intruder found no food of any kind, so she moved on to the next room. She bust her way in using the same technique as before and entered the second chamber. A huge pile of tattered magazines welcomed her, and in the other corners, stacks of soiled clothing emitted funny, unpleasant odours. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. The room must've the ultimate pig-sty, it looked like it hadn't seen a vacuum-cleaner in years. Just as she was about to beat a hasty retreat, she spotted a box of what she recognized as chocolate bars. Dashing madly across the room, creating an even bigger mess, she grabbed a Mars bar and tucked into it.

"Mmmm..." The young woman closed her eyes ecstatically and savoured the taste of peanuts and caramel.

Her good hand closed around what seemed like an unopened wrapper, but to her dismay, its contents were already gone. She checked the dozen other wrappers and found them empty. Chewing on the last of the candy, she decided that she'd look for the kitchen and get some real food.

Hopefully, she'd get away without being discovered.

* * *

To be continued...


	2. A Place in this World Part 2

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:**   
The characters below are a mix of spin-offs and existing X-men symbols, all property of Marvel. I'm not profiting financially from writing fan-fiction, so don't even think of suing me.  


Vicki Lew | August 1997

**Part Two**

The man dressed in a black Armani suit strode briskly down the carpeted corridor, not pleased at all. He turned round the corner and knocked sharply on the expensive oaken door. Upon receiving a muffled permission to enter, Randolph Gedrick set foot into the lushly-furnished office.

"Sir." He bowed his head in respect to his superior.

"How did it happen?"

"Apparently, she figured her powers out, and didn't want to stay home anymore."

The other man sitting at the polished desk took in a deep breath and shook his head. He clenched his jaw and gave his order.

"Get her back, Ran. Quietly. She's been nothing but trouble since her mother died. Martha and I never deserved this. I don't understand it. We don't deserve a mutant..."

Randolph took out his cellphone and punched some buttons, instructing his men to get ready for the search. He turned to make his exit, but not before he said, "You can't keep her locked in here forever, Jack. You know that."

As the door closed after the agent walked out, Senator Jack O'Connor downed a stiff glass of whiskey and started to make plans.

* * *

"Dere. Dat should do it."

Sure enough, the lights and power came back on again, thanks to Remy LeBeau's technical expertise. He was quite grumpy by then, having to crawl and stretch around to connect the powerpoints correctly.

"I shall check the security server," Storm announced and went to the War room.

Remy nodded and wiped the sweat off his brow. Just as he stepped outside the power storage room for a smoke, Storm appeared and waved him into the War room. His mouth twitched in mild annoyance but he followed anyways.

"What?"

She pointed to a red dot on the screen, standing out amongst the computer lay-out of the mansion blueprints.

"It appears we have an intruder in the men's dormitory wing, Remy. He must have come in when the power was down,"

"Oh yay, Stormy. I so happy." Casually, he pulled out a couple of cards and flipped through them. "Let's go catch us a bad guy,"

* * *

"Gro-wwwll!"

She clamped her hand over her stomach and tried to muffle the sounds of hunger. Where was the darned kitchen anyway? She'd looked in all the other rooms, there was nothing edible. She stole down the big staircase; the lights came back on and she nearly fell off the steps in fright. Regaining her balance, the young woman darted all the way back upstairs and fled round the corner, back into the room she first broke into.

Her heart pounded fiercely and her arm throbbed painfully. As she calmed down, she laughed silently at her cowardice. Fancy being scared by lights. But the fact that they were back on bothered her. The darkness gave her cover; now she was out in the open for everyone to spot. She'd better get her food fast and make a mad dash out of here. The girl turned around and was about to exit the room when she collided with something quite warm and solid.

She looked up, and nearly fell away in a dead faint at her shock. A man and a woman were standing directly in front of her, ready to make a grab at her.

The man spoke in an annoyed tone, "Hey, dat's my stuff you got dere!" and reached for her.

It proved to be a very bad move for him. She utilized her powers again and swung her fortified arm towards him with startling speed. The man hardly had the opportunity to grunt before he was sent reeling into the wall behind. The woman, however, was forewarned and took to the air, mist and wind surrounding her instantly; their little intruder gaped at the spectacle in a mixture of fear and awe, didn't bother to defend herself and just raced out of the room.

The girl's legs were weak with shock and she stumbled as she ran down the stairs. Her body pitched down the staircase and she cried out as she hit the landing hard, her broken arm further agitated from the jolting. Pain numbed her already bruised body, she couldn't move even as the two people approached her.

"By the Goddess, are you alright?" The coloured woman bent down and touched her shoulder. She just winced. "It's alright, child. We will not hurt you."

Through bleary eyes, she saw the man looming over her, his features softening as he saw the pain she was in. He rolled up the sleeves of the sweater gently as he could and examined her arm.

"Broken up, girl. Gotta get you to de infirmary, it swellin' up bad."

Her head spun as he slung her good arm round his neck, but she didn't protest. Or rather, couldn't, because of the pain. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her, but in vain. The world went black as he picked her up.

* * *

Gedrick examined the ground and looked up at his two companions.

"She's been through here alright. Fell into that ditch there and headed north," He dusted his hands clean from the dirt and stood up. "Scoot over there and see if there's a residence or something."

The two men nodded and went off to carry out their orders. Gedrick took out his silver cigarette case and drew a stick out of it, proceeding to take a smoke. He drew his coat closer; it was freezing cold tonight. However did Sabine survive out here without a stitch of clothing on?

The man watched the clouds of smoke disperse in the wind.

He'd seen it all, how O'Connor the good senator locked his mutant daughter up in her room, hidden away from the public eye. She was almost twenty, for God's sakes. How long did he intend to keep her hidden; a family secret? Sabby looked normal, she could've easily passed off as an ordinary human being. Perhaps people might give her a second look because of that streak in her hair, but that wasn't really bizarre or anything, compared to those punks in the underground.

Gedrick wasn't too happy about seeing a beautiful and intelligent girl like her being imprisoned, held against her will. In his eight years working for the senator, she'd been buried under wraps ever since her powers first emerged five years ago; she threw a tantrum and took out a large chunk of her room. Jack, fearing for his run for senator, faked her death and locked her up. For five years she didn't go to school, didn't get to see her friends, didn't get to go outside freely except for the occasional walks around the mansion compounds. It was amazing she didn't go insane. No one who worked for him dared to say anything, of course, for fear of being fired. And with the power and influence the senator had, he could easily ruin their lives.

Sometimes he wondered how Jack could possibly do that to his own daughter. Maybe he harboured something against Sabine because his wife died while bearing her. What he was sure of was the fact that Jack found his daughter to be nothing but a burden, something he wished to be rid of. Every night, to keep her from escaping, the maids had to take Sabine's clothing from her. Gedrick found it to be such humiliation. Part of him was glad that she escaped despite her father's efforts; part of him was angry at himself. Angry because he had to get her back and put the walls back up around her. Who knows what O'Connor would want to do to her just to protect his precious reputation. That son-of-a-bitch.

He wished he could break away from this job, but he couldn't. He was bound by honour. After all, Jack did save his father from bankruptcy, provided jobs and financial assistance for the Gedrick family until they got back on their feet. It was this blasted debt he had to fulfill, and the promise he made to his late father.

"Protect Jack with your life, help him, work for him; we all owe him that much and more..."

At times he wished Jack had just left them alone to survive. This debt was such a handicap. He couldn't betray Jack or his family would suffer for sure.

"Drop dead, Jack."

With unnecessary force, he threw the cigarette to the ground and snubbed it out.

* * *

The gentle humming of the generated force field reverberated throughout the empty corridors, accompanied by soft sobbing. Behind the bluish glowing bars, she lay huddled in the darkest corner, retreating into the darkest corners of her mind.

Not again.

After all that she'd been through just to be free of her father's cruel imprisonment...She was back to square one, trapped as before. She wrapped her arms around her knees and pressed her cheek wearily against the cold steel wall. Her tears poured down her pale cheeks, her eyes dead with defeat.

Footsteps echoed through the immediate surroundings, but the young woman hardly noticed. The rhythm of the steps slowed down, stopping finally. Remy LeBeau peered into the cell before placing his bare hand on the scanning hatch; the central security system found a match in its database and granted him entry. He stepped harmlessly through the force-field, which only allowed authorized entry from the outside, and stood a distance from the intruder. In his hands he held a mug of warm cocoa, which he slowly set to the floor. He slowly stooped down to appear less intimidating, but the girl still refused to look in his direction, let alone come closer towards him.

"Hi." If she heard him, she didn't show any signs of acknowledgment. He tried again. "Brought ya a drink. If'n ya want anythin', I could get it for ya."

Her sudden gaze startled him. Those emerald eyes bore such sadness and desolation; Remy felt his heart reach out to her. And her tears...

It came out as a rasp at first, her voice rusty from little use, but he could just make out her plea, "Y-ya could give m-me my freedom."

The Cajun blinked stupidly at her.

"Your freedom? Ya ain't a prisoner here, p'tit. We jus' wanna make sure you don't hurt y'self any further," He pointed at the cast on her arm and the various treated scrapes and bruises on her body. "We gonna let you out soon enough; jus' need t'find out more 'bout your condition. S'okay, no one gonna hurt you here."

Picking up the mug, he placed it in her cold hands. She flinched slightly from his touch and presence, but wasn't really too scared. She looked at the beverage and then at the man beside her; she took a small sip and he smiled warmly. Awkwardly, she smiled back.

She didn't feel so alone anymore.

* * *

To be continued...


	3. A Place in this World Part 3

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:**   
The characters below are a mix of spin-offs and existing X-men symbols, all property of Marvel. I'm not profiting financially from writing fan-fiction, so don't even think of suing me.  


Vicki Lew | February 1998

**Part Three**

"Let's see...A fractured arm, infected scrapes and possibly a slight concussion...Cracked ribs...She should be suffering from hypothermia right now, considering the harsh weather that she has been exposed to this past night. It appears that she possesses an Alpha-class DNA structure, with abilities that have yet to surface fully. At this moment, I can safely confirm that she has a higher physical tolerance than humans have." Hank McCoy raised an X-ray negative to the light as he narrated the results of the DNA test to Remy LeBeau. "More interestingly, would be her prominent power (for now) to streamline the potential energy into any desired area of her body...blah blah blah..."

At that point, the Cajun's hearing turned off. Too much scientific prattle. Remy requested in a slightly irritated tone for the resident doctor to rephrase himself in simple English.

"What, she a mutant too den?" he snapped.

Hank looked up sharply, slightly surprised at his teammate's sudden outburst. Remy caught himself just in time from snapping at Hank again and ran his hand through his hair.

"Sorry." He avoided the doctor's gaze. "I'm jus' angry dat she been through all dat, y'know?"

"Understood...And forgiven, gumbo left-overs...Yes, she's a mutant, like us."

"Lis'sen, she don' like t'be held down dere in the cell, can she at least stay in de infirmary, Henri...'S not fair t'her. 'Sides, I t'ink we could get her t'talk more if de environment be less depressing, non?"

Hank lifted a curious eyebrow and considered the Cajun's point. So, his friend had a soft spot for a certain someone...

"Well...We all have responsibilities, Remy. We hardly know anything about her. If she tries to escape and threatens to endanger our existence, will you take that responsibility?"

"Gambit make sure she behave, promise." The man grinned from ear to ear, bearing the excitement of a five year-old. Hank found it amusing; after a little more consideration, he decided to 'discharge' his patient from her present quarters.

* * *

She peered patiently out between the bars of her cell, waiting for her friend to make his daily visit. They didn't talk much (well, she didn't want to) but she enjoyed being around him. His smile, his soothing accented drawl, his mesmerizing eyes.

Oh, yes. She definitely liked him.

Hearing footsteps, she looked sharply up, expecting the man who called himself Remy LeBeau. To her disappointment, it was a red-headed lady. Although the stranger smiled warmly at her, she didn't welcome her presence. She crept into the darkest corner of the cell and erected walls around herself.

"Hello," The stranger walked into the cell after going through the security check and introduced herself. "My name's Jean..."

In response, she stared coldly at the wall.

Jean stooped down beside her and asked, "What's wrong?"

After a few observations on the special force field during the visits from the man, she understood how it worked. She snarled and lunged at Jean, quick as lightning, knocking the telepath over hard. They both stumbled into the force field, confusing the security system with two signatures; she managed to pass through unscathed.

Dropping the redhead after giving her a hard knock, she sprinted down the narrow hallway trying desperately to find the way out. Her arm hurt and she was getting breathless from an odd pressure in her ribs, but she pushed on.

"Wait!" She heard Jean cry, but it went ignored.

She ran up the stairs, into winding corridors before finally bursting into the grand hall. Gasping painfully, the young woman paused only to grab a thick coat from the coat rack by the main doors. Flinging the doors open, she plunged into the white plains before her.

"Wait!"

This time it was a man's voice, the one that she had heard the most while she was in the cell.

Halting her trudge through the knee-deep snow, she turned around to look at her handsome 'friend'.

"I thought we be friends, no? Where ya goin'? Ya hurt, don' wanna see dat arm get worse, girl." He put out his arm, as if reaching for her. "C'mon. I wanna help. I wanna be your friend, if'n ya'll let me, o'course,"

Puffs of steam swirled round her face, her chest heaving from her exertions. She felt an acute pain in her side, and an aching in her whole body. Her arm felt like a hot poker. Plus, she was scared and lost. But she didn't want to be locked up again. It was no better than the years she spent in solitude in her bedroom.

The man came out into the open now, and stood just a few feet from her.

He spoke softly, "I know dat ya don' wanna be locked up dere. But we got reasons for dat. I promise ya, no more of dat, 'cos you gonna have a room of ya own now, and you gonna have all de freedom ya want. Jus' let your injuries heal at least, chere,"

The pain was getting worse; she wavered a bit.

"Ya gonna trust me?"

He flashed a disarmingly charming grin at her.

Her eyes were rolling back in their sockets, and the next thing she knew, someone turned off the lights on her...

* * *

He lit another cigarette and leaned back in his chair.

"So...The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning?" Senator O'Connor tossed the lighter back onto his desk. "She's there?"

"There ain't nowhere else she could've gone...The leads stop there anyway."

"And how do you plan to get her back, Randolph?"

Gedrick shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I...haven't come up with anything yet."

"She trusts you. Surely you can come up with something. Now go!"

"On my way. Sir."

It took Gedrick all his reserve not to slam the door down on his way out.

* * *

To be continued...


	4. A Place in this World Part 4

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:**   
The characters below are a mix of spin-offs and existing X-men symbols, all property of Marvel. I'm not profiting financially from writing fan-fiction, so don't even think of suing me.  


Vicki Lew | March 1998

**Part Four**

There was a vigorous knocking on the door.

Hank looked up from the latest _National Geographic_ and propped his glasses up on his head, looking towards Storm. In return, she lifted a regal brow and went to answer the door.

"Good evening, ma'am," A young man bowed slightly before the X-woman politely. "My name is Gedrick, and I'm from the local P.D."

Storm cocked her head in curiosity as she checked his badge out, and asked, "Yes, how might I help? Perhaps you might want to step inside?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hank disappearing into the other room.

"Yes, thank you, ma'am. It is quite cold out here." Gedrick shuffled into the warm building, followed by three other men dressed in police colours. "We're here about a young woman, uhm, about twenty? She has quite a unique appearance?"

The woman looked as if she were deep in thought.

"Do you have a picture, Detective?"

"Well, yes, I do. It's quite an old one, but I believe her eyes are green and she has a strange white streak running through her hair?"

Storm looked at the picture of a girl of about twelve, crossed her arms and said, "Hmm, yes, very interesting features. But she could have dyed her hair and put on coloured contacts. I cannot see her face very well in this picture. You would be looking for her because...?"

"She's gone missing, ma'am. Ran away from home. Her folks are really quite worried about her. She's always been in trouble with the law and such."

"Her name?"

"Sabine O'Connor, ma'am."

Gedrick was getting quite impatient. Hopefully, they'd be able to leave quietly with the girl, but the woman shook her head.

"Well, I'd love to help, Mr Gedrick, but I haven't seen a young woman fitting that description...But I will most certainly inform you of anything that comes up?"

He fought a frown, and gave a quick smile instead and handed his dud calling card over to the woman, thanked her, then left.

The door closed behind him and his men as they walked out.

"Damn!" he hissed under his breath.

"What now, boss?"

"Well, if they won't give, then we'll just have to take..."

* * *

Askin' questions and pokin' your nose where it don't belong, lady?

Ah looked darkly at the one they called Storm. She'd been tellin' the others of who ah might be.

Don't think ah can't play possum while lyin' here in this recovery room. Ah don't care what ya think. Ah ain't never goin' back.

Never.

* * *

"Sabine O'Connor, he said." Storm recalled.

The X-men that were present in the mansion stood around in a circle, discussing about the identity of their new visitor.

"But I ran a check, the Senator's wife and child are dead," Hank pointed out.

Remy let out a snigger.

"De political world ain't dat simple, Henri. She might be de love-child dat he be tryin' t'hide."

"Might he have been abusive? After all, we know that she broke into the mansion without a stitch of clothing on her back, she stole Remy's clothing,"

"I think," said Jean as she walked into the living room. "What we should do know is to at least get her to come down and have a good and full proper meal. I have dinner ready on the table. Remy, if you will?"

"I go get her." Just as he stood to leave, there was a loud ruckus from the basement below, where the medlab was. All those present came alive and decided to go down and get their visitor after all.

* * *

"MERDE!"

The medlab was...In serious need of a new interior designer, not to mention a renovation.

The Cajun tread carefully over shattered pieces of glass and what used to be med-equipment that were strewn over the floor of the immediate corridor, followed by Storm and Jean. Hank bounded over suddenly, knocking all of them over before they could enter, and scrambled for the door hatch, shutting the entrance of the medlab securely.

"Dieu! What de fuck goin' on, Henri!" Gambit pulled himself out from under the furry doctor's leg.

"Your little friend Sabine has gone quite berserk!" he snapped in response. "She's wrecking my haven!"

Jean grimaced as she heard another loud crash from behind the reinforced doors. Telepathically reaching out, briefly touching the girl's mind, she discovered the reason for their visitor's behaviour.

"Her powers-they're morphing again, and it's driving her crazy...It's more than her body can contain," she explained to the other disgruntled X-men.

Hank said, "Her mutant DNA is very unique...And highly volatile. The last scan I did on her DNA revealed that her powers are still developing, and changing. There's no expecting what she'll acquire next. In theory, her active X-factor will settle down and her true power will surface eventually."

"I would think my question is, when?" Storm commented gravely.

"Alors, at dis rate, we not gonna have rooms t'sleep in pretty soon!"

Suddenly, Jean put her hand out to silence their conversation. All had gone quiet.

"I think we should go in and take a look now,"

Gambit peered in cautiously as the doors slid open, ready for any attempts of attack. His gaze softened as he found Sabine slumped on the floor, shivering and petrified. As he tended to the girl's bloody nose and various gashes, Hank clasped an inhibitor collar around her neck.

"She not respondin' much," Remy noticed the lost stare in her green eyes.

Hank shone his little torchlight into his patient's eyes, and checked her vitals. "She's in shock, but other than that, some bruises, cuts...And another slight concussion."

Jean smoothed Sabine's hair back gently, looked up at Hank with concern and said, "She can't go on this way. We need some answers."

* * *

  
To be continued... 


	5. A Place in this World Part 5

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:**   
The characters below are a mix of spin-offs and existing X-men symbols, all property of Marvel. I'm not profiting financially from writing fan-fiction, so don't even think of suing me.  


Vicki Lew | January 1999

**Part Five **

She sighed contentedly as the hot water hit her bare skin and flowed down her body. She was careful to avoid the cast from getting wet-it was awkward but she scrubbed and scrubbed until her skin glowed a healthy pink. It was then that she allowed a small smile to dance past her lips.

Sabine stepped out of the stall and padded over to the sink, glancing at the clothes the other women in the house had contributed as she dried herself. As her eyes caught hold of the foggy mirror, she stiffened slightly, and cleared it up with her hand.

The mirror revealed a beautiful young face, and a pair of the greenest eyes, brimming with tears as their owner scrutinised her own appearance. It was marred by small bruises, scratches and split lips.

She stood at the sink, her hands gripping the white ceramic as tightly as her fractured arm would let her. Today was the first time in five years that she'd finally gotten to see her own reflection fully and clearly.

_Ah look just like Mama._ Sabine ran a hand across her reflection as unhappy memories flashed across her mind. The tears spilled over. _Ah miss you, Mama..._

* * *

"You know what I think?"

"Quoi?"

"The senator faked her death. Anything to hide his mutant daughter from the prying eyes of the media...Anything to uphold his image in the political society." Hank placed his glasses on the table and leaned back.

"How you know for sure?" Gambit shuffled his deck of playing cards casually.

"DNA tests tell all, my friend. She is Sabine O'Connor, the Senator's daughter...The very same one who 'died' in that car crash some five, six years ago."

There was a soft ring that broke into the conversation; Remy got up and walked over to the microwave, removing the plate of fried chicken.

"Ya t'ink she like dese?"

Hank raised an eyebrow and sniffed in disdain. "Don't ask me. It's too greasy."

"I'll get her to come down, we talk later."

* * *

Eyes darting around at the kitchenette, she picked up a piece of fried chicken gingerly and took a small nibble, before tucking into it greedily. The taste reminded her of a time when she had her meals at the dinner table instead of in her room...Back when her mother was still alive, before all...This.

Grabbing the glass of milk before her, she took big gulps of it and swallowed hard. Occasionally, she would look up at the man sitting opposite her, then go back to her eating.

"I believe I forgot to give our guest some vitamins..."

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

There was a loud crash as Sabine leapt out of her seat, and retreated hastily into a corner, grabbing on to the Cajun tightly.

"I suppose she doesn't like vitamins?"

Remy tried not to choke on the chicken in his mouth, and replied with a bewildered expression on his face, "Non, I t'ink she never got a rational look at your furry self, Beast."

"S'okay...He's a friend." The Cajun tried to pry her death grip off his collar, and had little success. "Hank? Help me out here."

The latter extended a hand, which she accepted shakily after a long hesitation.

* * *

_Been here for a couple of days. Guess ah've settled in okay. Ah got my own room-not that ah stay in there much anyways. Ah spent too much time in a room already._

_X-men._

_Ah don't really care who they are, as long as ah don't go back...there._

_There's Jean and Scott...They make me sick most of the time, all lovey-dovey and stuff...Hank, the doctor-he doesn't scare me that much anymore. In fact, he's kinda funny sometimes._

_Storm...Ororo or somethin' like that. She's like a queen, so prim and proper. But she's nice at least. Then there's Bobby; he whines too much, and steers clear of me anyways._

_Ah caught a few glimpses of the one they call Logan. Stocky, grumpy li'l man. Ya hardly ever see him in the house. He's always out in the woods. Ah wanna go there too, but he scares me._

_And Gambit. Remy Lebeau. He's sweet. Nicest person ah ever met. He's my...friend of sorts, ah guess. Ah like it when he's around._

_Ah like it here, but am ah really free?_

* * *

"Goddamn it!" The glass of whiskey flew across the room and shattered as it hit the wall.

Gedrick hardly flinched. He straightened his tie and waited for the older man to settle down.

"All I ask is for you to get her back here; I don't want to hear your excuses!" O'Connor spat.

Gedrick replied simply, "There are procedures, sir."

The tone of his answer sent the senator into a rage again. O'Connor grabbed the collar of his pressed shirt and hissed into his face.

"You owe me, Gedrick. Your whole fucking family owes me. I can destroy your pathetic lives anytime, any place, so don't you forget that and do your bloody job!"

Gedrick backed up slowly and straightened his clothes. "What do you have in mind?"

"I want her taken to the camps."

His heart stopped for a few moments.

_God, no._

* * *

To be continued...


	6. A Place in this World Part 6

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer AKA The Drill:  
**All recognisable characters from the X-men comics do not belong to me, although I wish they did. 

Vicki Lew | January 1999

**Part Six **

"It'll cost you quite a bit, Senator."

Jack O'Connor stared icily at the shifty-eyed man sitting opposite him, before replying, "I don't really care. I have the money, and it'll be yours if you do the job right."

"Our little facility lacks support from icons like you, sir. What we need is your thumbs-up with our project as well as your financial support."

"Listen, Ulrich, just get the job done, and you'll have everything that you need from me."

The little man chuckled. "Very eager, aren't you, Senator? One other thing, about the casualty count of this job...?"

"As many as it takes, Ulrich. As many as it takes. But take her alive and kicking."

* * *

The dream was fresh in her mind, even as she sat on the couch that she'd fallen asleep on. The hall was silent, illuminated by the bright moon.

She dreamt of killing him often.

Too often, in fact.

For everything he ever did to her, and for the way he treated her.

Her heart would race at the thought of having his blood pour down her arms, fresh and warm from his torn neck, all her hatred for him washing away along with the flow of the thick fluid.

Sabine slid off the couch and walked towards the frosted windows, and went very still. She squinted through the misty glass and randomly floating snowflakes; someone was standing on the hillock opposite the front gates. Her eyes made out the figure of a short, plump woman wrapped in a thick jacket. The longer she stared, the more familiar the stranger seemed...

"Mattie?" she whispered as she recognised the African-American.

Grabbing a jacket, Sabine stumbled out into the snow, running towards the gate, swinging it open and dashed across the road. She was overjoyed to see her nursemaid, the only woman who cared for her and-

Her eyes widened in shock; it wasn't Mattie at all, it was a mistake that took her too long to realise. The next few seconds hit her like a massive explosion. A motorcycle skidded on the road, sending sparks flying as its side scraped at asphalt and she saw Randolph Gedrick stumbling off the rider's seat, screaming for her to run. Men dressed in black combat gear swarmed towards her, emerging rapidly from the thick growth of forest further up upon the hill.

Gedrick got to her first and grabbed her arm, dragging her away. "C'mon, Sabby! For fuck's sakes, let's go!! They'll kill y-urkk!"

All she heard was a sharp whistling then she felt something hot splattering on the cheek. Nausea rose in her throat when she caught sight of the damage the bullet had done to Gedrick's head. With blurry eyes, she turned towards the gates; these men were out to get her, and they had made Gedrick an example.

In her terror, her legs refused to function normally, and she stumbled over Gedrick's body, getting a faceful of asphalt and slush. As she struggled to get up, a gloved hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her head backwards painfully. Her scream for help welled up from her insides and when she released it, it echoed into the darkness.

Lights came on in the mansion, and floodlights lining the front gates illuminated the area. Seeing that her assailant had been temporarily blinded by the lights, Sabine kicked hard into his gut, freeing herself from his grip. She started towards the gate once more as the X-men burst out from the mansion, armed and ready.

Cyclops sent the attackers who were in closest proximity to Sabine flying back into the woods with his optic blasts, but not before a bullet burrowed itself into the back of the young woman's right knee, ripping through flesh and bone and making its exit from her kneecap. The leg gave way and she hit the ground hard once more, crying out in pain.

Some of the men formed some sort of wall in front of her immediately, and fired torrents of bullets at the X-men, distracting them while the others tranquillised and dragged the fallen woman into a waiting getaway van.

"NON!" Gambit shouted from behind Jean Grey's protective TK bubble. "Dey're gettin' away! On my count, Jean, lemme out...Now!"

The Cajun tore through the weakened shield and let fly a full deck of charged cards at the enemy, mini explosions dispersing their firepower. Storm called upon arctic temperatures and froze the firing squad from the neck down, immobilising them.

"Stop right where you are!" The X-men turned to see one of the masked men pressing a gun to an unconscious Sabine's head. Recognising the threat, they complied. "Now back off, or she gets it!"

They watched helplessly as the black van sped off into the night.

* * *

To be continued...


	7. A Place in this World Part 7

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer AKA The Drill:  
**All recognisable characters from the X-men comics do not belong to me, although I wish they did. 

Vicki Lew | May 1999

**Part Seven**

A rude bump on the head roused her from her drugged stupor; it took quite a while before she realised that she was inside a vehicle, and they were on the move. Pain rode up her right leg as feeling came back into her limbs and she whimpered softly, attracting unwanted attention from her captors.

"She's up, wanna put her out again?"

"No need, we're almost there. Just round the corner. It'll take her another hour before she can move normal anyway."

Sabine's eyes rolled around in their sockets, unable to focus for too long on anything. They stopped with a jarring movement, and the two men grasped her arms roughly, hauling her out of the van. No heed was paid to her injuries, causing tears to well up in her eyes at the searing discomfort.

The path down the corridor seemed to last forever. She managed to note the presence of multiple cells, and a quiet panic seized her, but she was unable to express it; the tranquilliser still in her system. At last the men stopped, and she heard the hissing of hydraulic doors opening. She opened her mouth to protest but her throat was too parched, and no sound surfaced.

Her captors gave her one last look, then, with a hard pitch, hurled her into a room with no windows.

* * *

"Any leads?"

Henry McCoy shook his head wearily. Gambit emptied his last cigarette from its box and lit up, dragging long and hard from it.

"Dey couldn' have disappeared," he pointed out and looked up as Jean Grey hurried into the room.

She tossed a print-out onto the table and spoke. "I managed to get a look at the guy in the front seat of the van."

The others gathered round and examined the print-out, focusing their attention on the picture ID.

"Gyrich."

* * *

Poor Randolph Gedrick.

Her only friend of sorts. He brought her books and remembered her birthdays. He had little conversations with her, though short, but always a small comfort and welcomed.

She sat huddled in the tiny square of light- the only light in that windowless cell- and scraped at the dried blood that had crusted along the side of her face, tears flowing down her cheeks silently, painting clean tracks amidst the grime on her skin. Her hands trembled as she rubbed her fingers together, turning the blood crusts into carmine dust.

Then she wondered what became of Randolph's body. Did the men in black get rid of it, or did the X-men put him to rest? Or was he still lying there, fresh snowfall covering his stiff body, where he would remain hidden, unknown, spirit lingering restlessly until spring arrived and the ice melted, revealing his deformed corpse?

Sabine didn't want to think about it, but the memory of Gedrick's violent death haunted her. Her body shuddered violently as she slid to the floor in a foetal position and cried her heart out.

Poor Randolph Gedrick.

* * *

"I have to admit, you people are quite efficient," Senator O'Connor removed his gaze from the monitor and took out his chequebook from his coat pocket and began writing. "I like efficient people, so you can be assured of my continuous support, financial and otherwise."

John Gyrich smiled smugly and cleaned the lenses of his spectacles. "Why, thank you, Senator," The older man put his pen down and tore the paper from its perforation, handing it over to Gyrich. "And 'Why, thank you' again, sir."

O'Connor put away his things and leaned back in his seat, drawing his focus back to the monitor, observing his...daughter in her cell. "What do you have planned for her?"

"We're putting her through a health check and mutant DNA streaming, a bug implant procedure, and if needs be, we tame her."

"Then?"

"Then, like all the rest of the inmates, we set her to work, of which there is plenty, according to whatever powers she possesses."

The Senator leaned closer to Gyrich, and spoke in an icy tone, "She is not to escape, Gyrich, I'm counting on you on that."

Gyrich gave a little laugh and boasted, "No one ever escapes, sir. Not alive, at least..."

* * *

They dragged her out of her cell kicking and screaming, before they injected a mild tranquilliser into her, that is. She was stripped naked then pushed into a shower stall, and hosed down like an animal. The wardens dressed in white were particularly cruel, and directed the powerful jets of water at her wounded knee, drawing screams from her, which they seemed to enjoy quite a bit.

It was cold and she shivered uncontrollably, but they couldn't care less and prodded her towards another room undressed. The people there made some fuss over the inhibitor collar she wore and removed it with a laser cutter, storing the gadget for further examination. Sudden nausea came over her and she made a wild guess that it was the effect from the removal of the collar.

Sabine watched in fear as they hurried around, preparing medical equipment. She was helpless, the tranquillisers made her feel as if she had no bones, no nerves. She managed a whine of protest as they strapped her down to an examination table and did a through medical check-up on her.

But she screamed when they injected something into her bloodstream, causing her body to burst into flames of pain. It didn't end there, as soon as that pain ended, another began. Apparently they had tested out the bug they had implanted in her, which sent out an unpleasant charge of voltage to the very bones of her body at a press of a button.

At the end of the ordeal, Sabine didn't need any taming, her eyes had glazed over with pain and hopelessness.

* * *

To be continued...


	8. A Place in this World Part 8

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer AKA The Drill:  
**All recognisable characters from the X-men comics do not belong to me, although I wish they did. 

Vicki Lew | May 1999

**Part Eight **

Dieu.

We got careless, and now dis mess be here. We were responsible f'her and we couldn' take care of her.

What's more, Gyrich ain't good news, he don' take too kindly t'de likes of us. We got all he's done on files, but we got no way to put him away...How d'ya fight against a city dat hates and fears us?

Hang on, Sabby. I won' rest till I get ya back.

* * *

Sabine plucked gingerly at the body-suit she had been dressed in. The material was cold and clingy, making her hair stand on end. Her right arm was aching badly, the fracture hadn't exactly taken kindly to the rough treatment she had received lately. The doctors had replaced the sodden plaster cast with a metal brace of some kind, which was heavier than the cast before, but comfortable enough. Her knee, at least, had had some attention paid to it and was no longer bleeding.

Her fingers had gone raw from searching for a loose plate in the steel walls. The door and its tiny glass panel were thick and reinforced, - chances of escape, it seemed, were slim. She stared into the lit corridor through the glass panel. A faint shadow danced along the walls of the corridor; someone was approaching, the shadow was becoming more pronounced.

Her senses came alive, screaming for her to find somewhere to hide, some safety, but there was nowhere to go. Sabine huddled in a dark corner, hoping that they weren't coming for her. She heard the mechanisms churn and the hydraulics working in the door to her cell, and knew fate was against her. Familiar footsteps echoed in the doorway as the 'visitor' stepped into her cell. A low growl escaped her throat as she recognised him.

Her father.

She let out a feral scream as she sprung out at him, hands resembling claws, ready to strangle the life out of him. Instead, her body convulsed violently in mid-air, electricity crackling, searing a path along her skin. Sabine screamed again, this time in agony; the bug implanted in her had let out a powerful charge. Falling to the hard ground unceremoniously, a fierce chill gripped her body and refused to let go. Her heart pounded madly, causing a heavy and discomforting pressure in her chest; she struggled for air as her head swam.

Senator O'Connor smiled smugly and released the trigger he had depressed on the tiny remote in his hand. Somehow, seeing his daughter writhe on the floor in pain brought him such sweet satisfaction. Bending down on one knee, careful not to wrinkle his expensive suit, he smiled at the fallen woman and allowed his true accent to escape.

"Hello, sugar. It's nice t'see ya."

* * *

Ah hate him.

Ah never knew it was possible t'hate someone this much.

Ah wanna kill him, ah wanna see him dead. My hands ache to wrap themselves around his throat and squeeze the life outta him. Oh, but Lord, the pain that he could give me with that device. My body is still stiff and ah can feel the cold sweat on my brow.

He's sayin' hello ta me. The cheek of it makes my blood boil.

"Ah wish...Ah could s-say the same, ya bastard," Damn teeth won't stop chatterin'. "It'd be cheaper ta j-just kill me o-off, y'know."

Ah wince as he laughs heartily. It hurts; ah can't believe this man used to love me once, and ah him.

"Kill you? Goodness, no, Sabby. I couldn't do that. And waste a test-subject? It's hard t'catch you mutants, daughter. I thought it'd be...killin' off two birds with one stone this way- havin' you out of my way and gainin' a test-subject for the project."

A burst of anger propels me, and ah lunge at him again, trying to scratch his eyes out; his thumb finds the trigger faster though, and ah get another fryin'. Lord, everythin's gone icy cold and my heart aches bad from the shock. Better t'stay still for now.

Panting, ah ask, "H-How's this gonna benefit y-you?"

"Think of it, once the tests are done, and everythin's stabilised, I got myself a 'Mutant Control Centre', what everyone wants and will come t'love. Who wants a mutant in their community, runnin' rampant with their powers, girl? We'll get government financing, and I'll have all the glory I want as a major contributor to society."

A smirk crosses my face. "Ya won't s-succeed, **Daddy**. Ah won't let ya,"

The backhand he lashes at me catches me by surprise, and my head snaps to the side with the impact. Ah can taste the blood in the corner of my mouth as he hits me again.

"You can't stop me, ya little piece of shit. T'think your momma died for you, you don't deserve ta live!"

He stands suddenly and kicks me in the gut. The cracked ribs that've hardly healed take the blow and ah think they got split again. The pain makes my eyes water as he takes pleasure in kicking me again and again. When he finally stops t'take a little break; he's tired from his exertions. Ah take my chance and grab his leg, yanking hard; he falls and the remote slips from his hand and clatters to the floor a short distance away.

Fear creeps into his eyes as ah grasp at his neck with my good hand and squeeze hard, pressing my thumb straight into the hollow of his neck, choking him with all my might. He volleys a punch into the side of my torso, but ah'm relentless, ah manage to whack him in the head with the metal brace on my other arm. Oh, the satisfaction ta see the blood flowing from the gash in his brow that ah've made. It vanishes quickly as ah hear a rush of falling footsteps.

Ah don't need t'see to know that the guards are here, my body is already quaking with the electric pulses they're sending through their little remotes. He signals them ta stop; just as ah think it's over, he pulls me up by my hair, callin' me a little bitch, then finishes it all with a hard punch to my face and drops me back to the floor.

* * *

Cyclops passed the binoculars to his Cajun team-mate and made plans silently in his head.

"Dieu. High security." Gambit peered into the eyepiece, took a long drag from his cigarette, then grinned. "But not a problem fo' dis here Cajun,"

"Don't play wildcard, LeBeau," Cyclops warned and grabbed his arm tightly. "Let's do this right; observe the security routine around here, and get in unnoticed. We'll have a better chance of getting the captives out and destroying this place."

Remy narrowed his eyes and obeyed, something that he didn't like doing much. But his team leader made exceptionally good sense this time, and he didn't want to risk Sabine's well-being.

* * *

To be continued...


	9. A Place in this World Part 9

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:** What a bother. But hey yadda yadda, the following recognisable characters do not belong to me, they belong to Marvel, but bloody hell, the story idea is mine, so there.

Vicki Lew | October 1999

**Part Nine**

"...new discovery...mutant...separation..."

Her swollen eyes opened at the sound of conversation, but it sounded muffled and hollow.

They were outside her cell.

Painfully, she rolled over, and dragged her battered body closer to the door to eavesdrop. By the time she managed to get there, the conversation had already ended with:

"...very well..."

* * *

He'd discovered the huge quarry behind the compound when he took a little walk further into the woods that surrounded the cold, stoic building. Raising the binoculars to his eyes, he scanned the swarm of mutant captives that were slaving away amongst the snow-capped rocks, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

"Dey look okay t'me, chere. Jus' a little thin, but okay otherwise." He reported back to Storm via his communicator. "Quoi? Let's see; mebbe twenty o'dem. Oui, I..."

It was her, but he didn't like what he saw one bit. Her lips were bruised and split, her eye almost swollen shut, and from the way she clenched her jaw and hugged her side as she dragged a basket of rocks behind her, a few ribs might've been broken again.

Remy narrowed his eyes, kinetic energy visibly churning from them, the anger in his blood fuelling his mutant power.

"Dey hurt her!" he hissed into the intercom.

"Remy! Do not be rash!"

"What de fuck we waitin' for? Merde, I'm goin' in!"

"Gambit, do not move in! This is an order, X-man!"

Storm's voice was left unheard, crackling from the abandoned device that lay amongst the leaves on the mossy ground.

* * *

So this was how she was going to spend the rest of her life -- in a cell, experimental labs and a rock pit.

Shuffling down the corridor with her fellow captives, Sabine tried to avoid the haunted gazes of the older prisoners. She could see tired eyes peering out of that small tiny window embedded in the cell doors, and no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she knew that in time to come, she would be doing the exact same thing.

As she forced herself to look away, a particular pair of eyes caught her attention.

They were green, so green.

Just like hers.

"Mama?!" She struggled to turn back, and received a cruel backhand to the cheek, sending her reeling to the floor.

The warden officer dragged her up roughly, cursing, "Bloody mutant girl! Calling for your mama is not gonna help you here! Now, move it, or do you want another beating to smarten you up?!"

Tasting the blood in her mouth, Sabine picked herself up and looked at the ground humbly.

"No sir; ah'm sorry, sir..."

Chancing a last fleeting glance at the cell number, Sabine quickly returned to her place in the line.

* * *

_Dis is de tiniest ven'lation shaft I ever been in,_ groused the Cajun X-man as he shuffled his way quietly along the dark and windy passage. _Ya'd t'ink with all de money dey got, dere'd be bigger ones._

He turned into an even smaller branch and put his face up next to a grille and peered out into a large laboratory. His carmine eyes glowed steadily as he watched men in pristine white lab coats bustling about, preparing and executing trial runs on what looked like a giant test tube filled to the brim with some clear, jelly-like substance.

Frowning, he moved on, eager to find his way to the cells soon.

* * *

My body's shiverin' from the fever ah got, but ain't no one here would care, would they? My face is constantly damp from the cold sweat formin' on my skin. Ah stare out of that l'il window, body pressed against the door f'support.

Lord, ah'm tired and hurtin'.

All ah have right now is that lady in the cell. If'n ah haveta die here, ah wanna know who she is. She has my eyes, ah swear. Ah'll risk my life jus' ta know.

Footsteps, ah hear them ... They're comin' again. Ah limp over t'the darkest corner of my cell, in the silly hope that they won't find me, they won't take me. Fear wells up in me, and ah feel the burning nausea in my throat.

Please don't hurt me, leave me alone...

They're never gentle when they haul me away.

* * *

  
To be continued... 


	10. A Place in this World Part 10

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:** What a bother. But hey yadda yadda, the following recognisable characters do not belong to me, they belong to Marvel, but bloody hell, the story idea is mine, so there.  


Vicki Lew | October 2000

**Part Ten**

She could only blame herself for being barely strong enough to struggle as they entrapped her with thick steel clamps. They bound her arms, her legs and suspended her from a steel cable as if she were no more than a sack of old sawdust. From the bird's eye view, Sabine could see that she was in a large laboratory, crawling with scientists who were busy like ants, scribbling on their clipboards and tapping away at strange-looking machines. 

The cable swayed from side to side, giving her a dreadful sense of vertigo. Looking down through blurry eyes, she could see what looked like a giant test-tube filled with fluid. Her eyes widened in fear as the cable jerked suddenly, and started lowering her down into the huge vat. As her body was slowly lowered into the Sabine tried calling for help, but her parched throat would allow nothing more than a croak to escape. Her bare feet could feel the liquid, sucking her in, hugging to her skin like thick syrup. It was freezing, and she gasped from the shock of it. 

Squirming helplessly and her eyes wild with panic, Sabine could feel a dull pain forming in her chest as the liquid clamped around her shoulders, squeezing the air from her lungs. She foolishly held on to one last gulp of air as it finally pushed over her head, in the hope of keeping from drowning. Her screams underwater went unheard.

* * *

The corridor was deadly silent, he observed, as he slid out gracefully from the ventilation box in the ceiling, finishing his landing with a curt somersault. 'Where t'start?' he wondered. Gambit grinned as he spotted a guard coming round the corner, and hefted himself back up into the shaft with frightening speed and silence. As soon as the unwary guard walked under him, he dropped, and stunned his victim with a chokehold. Unable to make a sound, the guard flailed his arms helplessly. 

"Where's de girl, mon ami? De one with de stripe in her hair?" Gambit hissed into his ear. 

The guard pointed shakily at the cell a couple of doors down. Shuffling towards the latter, Gambit groaned as he found it to be empty. "Chien, if'n ya wanna live, y'better bring me to her…" 

* * *

Ah thought ah was dead for sure, but ah think this is worse, waiting to see what sort of experiment they're gonna conduct on you next. Ah haven't been in this tube for long, but so far it's been an unpleasant feelin'…Ah've got tubes of all sizes stickin' out of my arms, and wires and patches stuck all over me. Ah feel as if ah'm made of nothing but flesh and jelly, no bones, no spine. 

Ah can't see well, ah can't do anything the way ah normally do and it's as if ah'm paralyzed - ah can hardly move. It's like half-breathing, half-drowning, and there's a sharp pain in me each time ah take a breath. Each time ah do that ah feel that ghastly liquid running through my lungs, freezing me from the inside. Ah still feel the pain from all my other unattended wounds, especially my knee.

There's someone pressing their face up close to the wall of the tube…Goddamn it, it's HIM. The man who gave me life, and the man who's destroyed everything ah've ever wanted. Ah never thought it could be possible to hate someone so much that ya want him dead. If ah manage to survive all this, ah'm gonna put a bullet through his head, so God help me.

* * *

He tapped at the communicator at his chest as he dragged the last unconscious guard into an open cell and slammed the door shut.

"This is Cyclops. West wing secured. Team report," 

The radio crackled to life as his team-mates responded. One by one, they each gave positive confirmations that the compound was secured.

"Head for the core - we're moving in now!"

* * *

"We could be a happy family once again, Sabine. Really, we could." O'Connor tapped at the glass as he spoke to his confined daughter. A rush of bubbles escaped from her mouth. She was angry. "You should be grateful, the good doctors here will make you human again. I will forgive you for everything once things are back to normal, my dear."

He smiled, but it was hardly a sane nor a warm one. He watched as the doctor by his side tinkered away on a remote panel and activated something within the vat. The clear tubes became a dark red, and Sabine obviously felt it, for she writhed in silent pain. "Relax, dear. He's just taking some samples of your blood and tissue. You're a big girl, surely you can take a little pain?"

"Den I t'ink you should be able t'handle dis?" An unfamiliar voice interrupted the Senator's thoughts. 

"What the -- ??" He spun around in time to see a figure dropping out of the ventilation shaft, and to be hit squarely in the chest by glowing projectiles. The impact sent him sprawling against the glass vat, weakening it and creating cracks in its surface. The visitor let fly another projectile at the container as he delivered a kick to the doctor's jaw, rendering the skinny man unconscious.

Despite being surrounded by a mob of outraged scientists, Gambit grinned as he heard the glass crack, and somersaulted backwards as the vat gave way, freeing its prisoner. The Cajun swung his bo staff, knocking away his assailants, trying to make his way towards Sabine, but he was overwhelmed. He needn't have worried, however, when a strong gust of wind engulfed the enemy and viciously slammed them into the nearby walls. 

He grinned again as he saw Storm come aground beside him and beams of red streaking the room. "Bien, calvary's arrived…'Bout time too," 

* * *

Numbly, she felt her body lurch forward as the glass shattered, throwing its contents out onto the cold steel floor. Her body started convulsing as soon as it hit the ground, and she wheezed as she gasped for air amidst hacking out green slime from her nose and mouth. Once or twice her eyes rolled upwards and she almost blacked out from the sheer discomfort and pain from her sudden freedom. The emanciated woman lay there naked and heaving, struggling to get her body system back in balance. 

She had to- there was some unfinished business with the man lying semi-conscious not too far away from her. Whimpering in pain, she yanked the tubes from her arms and dragged herself next to a fallen employee and struggled to acquire his lab coat. Fully aware of the battle around her, Sabine wrapped herself in the coat for warmth and gingerly got to her feet. Anger released a flood of adrenaline through her and she began to drag her father out of the laboratory towards the cells. 

It was payback time. 

* * *

To be continued...


	11. A Place in this World Part 11

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:** What a bother. But hey yadda yadda, the following recognisable characters do not belong to me, they belong to Marvel, but bloody hell, the story idea is mine, so there. 

Vicki Lew | November 2000

**Part Eleven**

No no no no. 

She's gone. They're all gone. 

An uncontrollable shiver ran down my spine and ah felt my jaw clench. Everythin' was in a haze of pain, anger, weariness. There was a wheezin' laughter now, getting' louder and louder.

Ah looked at him.

My father was just absolutely laughin' his ass off now - ah snap. 

"WHERE IS SHE??" Grabbin' him by the collar, ah shake him as hard as my weakened body will allow me to. "SHE WAS HERE! AH SAW HER!!" 

There were tears running down his face from laughin' so hard. "You won't find her, Sabine. You won't EVER find her," he sneered. "You really thought she died in that car accident, Sabine? I'll tell you what really happened: I've had her locked up, just like you for the past few years. You want to know why? Because she was a fuckin' mutant, she knew it even before she became my wife…After all I've given her, what does she give me? A freak of nature as a daughter! You both deserve what you've got!"

My fist smashed into his face again and again as ah railed at him to tell me where my mama was. Ah cried and ah screamed as ah hit dragged him across the floor, slammed him against the wall and battered him. Still, he wouldn't tell me. He was leavin' me with no choice. Ah grappled with the gun in my pocket, taken earlier from one of the fallen guards. 

My hands are shakin'. Ah don't want them to; ah don't want him to know how nervous ah am. Pointing the gun straight at his battered face, ah ask him the same question one last time, and all ah got was a bloody grin. It's not my fault that ah have to do this, my head keeps tellin' me as ah cock the pistol.

It's the only way to be free… 

* * *

They fell silent as they approached her and discovered what she was intending to do. The tension in the air was nerve-wrecking; Cyclops knew that anything could set the girl off.

"It's over, Sabine. He's going to prison for this. Let's just walk away," he persuaded, but got totally ignored. 

_Jean?_ The team leader projected mentally to his wife. _Help me dissuade her; she's trying to kill the Senator,_

Back at the X-mansion, Jean Grey was cradled by the powerful machine that was Cerebro. With her powers amplified by the latter, she gently beckoned to Sabine through a psychic link. 

_Sabine? _

Gambit could see what was going on. Sabine flinched and appeared confused as Jean made contact with her. 

"Get outta my head!" the young woman hissed. "Ah haveta do this…It's the only way t'be truly free, can't you understand that?"

_Don't stoop to his level, Sabine. You know that killing him is wrong. You're a good person; we all know that much._

Sabine let out a scream, her eyes wild and desperate, but still she held the Senator at gunpoint relentlessly. "Shut up! This ain't got nothin' ta do with you! Any of you!"

Everyone in the cell tensed as the enraged woman fired a few shots. One of the bullets tore through the Senator's left knee, and he gave a gurgled sound of agony.

"Coward," the Senator spat. "You miserable, pathetic mutant! C'mon, kill me!"

She screamed and fired again, missing her target narrowly. O'Connor flinched. "Ah'm your child and she's your wife…How could you? HOW COULD YOU?" Her finger tightened on the trigger again, this time to kill.

* * *

"Leave," I tol' de rest. "Lemme handle dis, trust me."

Behind dat visor o'his, I knew dat Cyke was probably givin' me a most disbelievin' stare. He just stood dere and shook his head until Storm beckoned for him t'leave. Beast and Iceman, who were standin' outside, disappeared from view. 

T'anks Stormy. I owe ya one.

_Jean, get off her back,_ I project. _It's not helpin', just spookin' her._

_What are you trying to do, Remy?_

_I'm gonna jus' talk my way into her head and knock some sense in, _I muse.

I look back at what I got here. Angry girl about t'shoot fucked-up parent. From where I come from, it was easy t'just walk on by and let de worst happen. But I know dat Sabine is one girl who hasn't been tainted with corruption, sleaze and what not. She not grow up in a ghetto or de underbelly of town. 

If she kill dis man, as much as he deserves it, the regret an' guilt dat comes later will probably eat her up. I don' want dat happenin'.

"Put de gun down, Sabby." I cajole.

"No."

"Trus' me, killin' him is gonna tear ya up inside, girl. Den you'll never be free- can't ya see dat's what he's tryin' to do?"

"He's killed my mama, ah just know it!" She started sobbin' and shakin'. She was breakin'. "We never asked t'be this way, Daddy. Ah thought ya loved us!" 

De old man just clutched at his bleeding leg and laughed. 

"He's gone crazy, Sabby. Killin' him will only make y'feel bad; it's not de way to go," I turn up my charm and my words are soothin' her. Her grip on de gun's gone limp; I inch it out of her hand slowly. "It's over, girl. You're safe now."

I wrap my coat around her shiverin' body. Dieu, she's a mess. 

I turn to de bastard and tell him, "You gonna get what's comin' to you, chien. But not today." 

* * *

To be continued...


	12. A Place in this World Part 12

**A PLACE IN THIS WORLD**

**Disclaimer:** What a bother. But hey yadda yadda, the following recognisable characters do not belong to me,  
they belong to Marvel, but bloody hell, the story idea is mine, so there.   


Vicki Lew | June 2001  


**Part 12**  


From where I am, I can see her clearly, jus' sittin' dere, starin' out into de lake.

O'course a person can mope an' daydream, but when dey been doin' it for more dan 8 hours a day for de past week or so, ya gotta get worried.

So far, Sabine's not been talkin' to an'one. Not even moi. And I t'ink Beast's pet hamster's been eatin' more dan she has.

Dieu, what are we gonna do wit' her?

Pulling out a cigarette from my stash, I use a bit of my nifty powers t'light it before joining her out on de pier. Neither of us speaks for a while, me leaning against a post, and she in her wheelchair.

Just when I was about to break de awkward silence, her hoarse voice stutters, "A-Ain't those supposed ta be bad for ya?" 

I take another leisurely draw on the stick and shake my head. She's finally talkin'...Mebbe if I use de silent treatment on her, she'll talk more. She fingers de stitches at her brow, trying to scratch the itch out of de wound- I swat her hand away and eye her warningly. 

Sabine scowls and complains dat it's itchin' like hell. She spent de most of her week lyin' in bed, barely able to move after her ordeal, gettin' stitched up and gettin' the gunk from the vat outta her system. De worse part was dat brace on her leg; bonded into her bones to make sure her shattered knee don't get banged up again. 

I worry dat she'll never be able t'walk normal again after an injury like dat.  


Irritated by my presence, she decides t'leave, wheelin' herself back in de direction of de mansion. She has mighty frightful steerin', so all she does is bang up against a post and hiss immediately. I reach out t'steady her and tell her to lay it easy on de broken ribs. I grab de handles and start pushin' her, but she stops me. Watchin' Sabine lick at dat split lip again and again as if it'd heal faster, I'm thinkin' she got somethin' t'say ta me, and I was right.  


"H-have ya ever felt so l-lost that ya don't know which way's up an' which way's down?" she asks quietly.

I know dat feelin' too well, and nod.   


Silence again.  


"Ah really thought ah c-could take her with me. But ah g-guess ah came up empty,"  


I thought f'while, and said quietly, "Ya got your freedom, Sabby. Ain't dat worth somethin'?"  


She whimpered. Dieu, my insides twist t'see her like dis.   


"Not as much as the love ah used ta know,"   


Kneelin' down beside her, I wipe de tears from her cheeks. "Ya do know dat y'can stay here wit' de X-men, neh? Learn t'control your powers, get your education; a degree even. Den when you all set, ya can decide t'stay or make it out dere on your own. We be like a big happy family, y'know? If'n ya leave out all dat superhero thing, o'course."  


She seem t'brighten up a bit, and I teased, "Is dat a smile I see??"  


"The i-idea sounds nice," Sabine admitted. "And you guys went all out ta protect me when ya didn't h-have ta,"  


"You stayin'?" I grinned when she nodded. 

I dunno why, but I suddenly felt SHY. Me, Remy LeBeau, ladies' man...SHY. I admitted t'her den, "Dat's good. Cos...uh...I wanted t'get ta know you..uh...a bit better,"  


Her reaction t'dat was definately a smile.

* * *

**The End?**


	13. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this fanfic.

I certainly enjoyed writing it...If you want to read all my fanfic titles, then hop down to my personal website for Rogue and Gambit fanfiction, Southern Efx

Later!  
Vicki Lew


End file.
